Rotary oil-switch.



.- PATB'NTED JUNE 23, 1908. 'H. L. VAN VALKENBURG. RO'EARY OIL SWITCH.

APPLIC i i'IoN FILED AUG. 21. 1905.

8 SHEETS-SHBET 1.

fl-5168868 I Inwentor: Y

Maria 2 a 'PATBNTED JUNE 23, 1568. H. L. VAN VALKENBURG.

ROTARY OIL SWITCH, AJBPLIOATION FILED AUG. 21, 1905 s SHEETSQSHEET 2.

UNITED srrArEs PATENT oFFI E- MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

ROTARY OIL-SWITCH.

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, HER-MON L. VAN VAL- KENBURG, citizen of the United States, re-

siding at Norwood, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Oil- "Switches, of whic the following is a full, clear, and exactspecification.

This invention relates to rotary oil switches of the double-break type in which all contacts are surrounded by oil to minimize the danger of injury by arcing.

The object of my invention is to improve in a general way t is type of switch and to provide a switch which will besimple in con-' struction, effective in operation, easy to assemble, and one in which all parts are accessible and easily removable in case of injury.

' My invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations of elements described in detail in this specification and set forth in the appended claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a switch embodying my invention, some of the parts being shown in elevation; Fig. 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 isa section along the same line showing only one pair of contacts and in their open position; Fig. ,4 is a detail of one group of contact fingers; Fig. 5 is a'plan view of'the switch attached to a switch-board, the latter being shown in section; and Fig. 6 is a partial elevation of the same, the. switch-board bein shown in section. I

At 1, I have shown a portion of a switchboard panel to which my switch is attached. To the rear side of the switch-board is attached by bolts 2 a bracket 3, having a rear horizontal extension 4. This extension su ports by pivoted bolts and win nut 5' t I e cglindrica oil tank 6, and forms t e cover for t e same. This oil tank may be made of any suitable material, as galvanized iron, and is made oil tight and suitably lined with insulatin material 7. Extending from the lower side of the bracket are a plurality of lugs 8, to which is held by bolts 9 (two: of

which are shown in Fig. 1) a disk or slab'10 of insulating material, preferably, soapstone, which is centrally su ported in the tank.

Arranged in a circ e andnear the periph- Specification 0: Letters Patent.

Applicatlon'flled August 21, 1905. SerialNo. 275,126.

washers 17lwithin the tank.

Patented June 23, 1908.

cry of the insulating slab are a plurality of equall spaced holes 11. Passing through these oles 1 1 and secured to the slab 10 by nuts 12, are a'plurality of long, vertical contact rods or contact terminals 13, which-ex- HEBMON L. VANYALKENBURG, OF NORWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THEBULLOOK ELECTRIC tend through the cover of the tank and are connected tothe main line leads. I'hawe here shown s'ix such contact-rods for a threepole switch adapted'for a three-phase circuit, but I wish it understood that my invention is not confined to a switch having this specific; number of poles. These contact around the centerof the slab, as in the up "or insulating slab, and are equally spaced. his slab spaces the rods apart and holds,them firmly in a vertical parallel position.

The downwardly extending spaced rods 13, su port the stationary contacts of the switch, I ave shown, as stated above, a three-pole double-break switch, the poles being ar ranged in difierent horizontal planes. The

diametrically opposite contact-rods support the contacts of each pole. The pairs of contacts are therefore staggered with respectto each other and the contacts of each pair are spaced angularly from those of the ad'a cent pair. -Mounted on each contact rod y set screws 20 are the contact finger holders 21 which can be adjusted atany angle about the rods 13. Each finger holder supports a plurality of spring contact fingers 22 I have hereshown three on each holder. As shown in Fig. 4, one of the fingers 23 is slightly longer than the other two in order to take the are at the break of the circuit. Surrounding each rod, except where the finger holder is attached is an insulating sleeve 24. Mounted on the insulating tubes are four barriers of insulating material 25, being spaced'apart by v l l i l cally on t e drum are the three brass or copper cross-arms or bridging contacts 29. The cross-arms are arranged one for each switch pole to engage the contact fingers, and are staggered or are angularly spaced 60 apart, as are the stationary contacts, in such a mannor that the circuits controlled by the switch will be made or broken simultaneously at the three poles. The outer contacting faces of the cross-arms are not concentric with the axis of rotation, but are so inclined, that is, the angle of contact with the spring fingers is such, that when the switch is closed (Fig. 2), friction is almost balanced. In other words, although there is always firm and close enpartment. The shaft is then turned 60 when the two upper cross-arms are again in line with the slots in the two adjacent barriers and is again lowered. This operation is again repeated and the shaft is removed. It is to be noted that by the lowering and turning process the shaft and the cross-arms are screwed out of the switch structure.

The switch operating mechanism will now be described. Pivoted at the front of the switch-board onlate 32 is the operating handle 33. Attaclied to the handle and extendin at a suitable angle thereto is the arm 34. T is arm is pivoted at 35 to the long arm 36, which extends through the panel and is connected at 37 with the pivoted arm 38. The arm 38 is connected at 30 with the arm 30 previously referred to, which arm 30, as was explained, is connected to the rotatable shaft 27 carrying the contact arms. Secured to the arm 38 and near its outer end is the tension spring i0, which spring is connected at one end to a stationary lug on the bracket.

gagement between the switch contacts when I This spring is put under tension when the the switch is closed, the tendency for the con switch is closed and quickly separates the tacts to separate is only slightly greater than the friction holdin the contacts together. in view of the fact that pitting or roughening of the contacts will increase the coefficient of friction, I so incline the faces of the bridging contacts that the switch contacts will tend to separate even after considerable use. Thus the frictional resistance between the contact faces does not add to the force required to open the switch. The rotatable shaft 27 is fixed by a pin or set screw to the arm 30 of the operating mechanism'and is held in place from vertica movement by the collar 31.

The shaft, drum, and cross-arm contacts can be removed if desired without disturbing the insulating barriers, the form and arrangement of which will now be described. The upper barrier 25 is circular in shape, being preferably formed of a single piece, and rests on the insulating sleeves of the siX contact rods. The three remaining barriers are each composed of two segmental pieces as ciearly shown in Fig. 2. These two pieces of eac 1 barrier are cut away at the center to receive the drum and are spaced apart enough to permit a cross-arm to pass between them. Each part of the barrier 18 suppmited on the insulating sleeves of two contact rods. The remaining two barriers are similar in shape, but the slot or opening between the wo parts .is displaced from the one immediatciy bove .b 60, as is shown by dotted lines in i ig. 2.

h ow, when it is desired remove the shaft, drum, and cross-arms for repairs, or any other purpose, the tank and lower slab 19 are removed, as are also the pins or set screws holding the arm 30 and collar 31. T he shaft is now turned so that each cross-arm is in line with a slot in the adjacent barrier, and is lowered one step, or the space of one comcontacts when the switch is opened. It is to be noted that the arms 34 and 36 constitute a toggle which, when the switch is closed hold the contacts firmly together.

It is seen that my switch is compact, that all parts are firmly held together, but are easily removable in case of injury. is the contacts are surrounded by oil, there is little danger of injury by sparking. The level of the oilis indicated. in Fig. l by the dot and dash line.

T he insulating barriers 25 will prevent the arcs from communicating from one pole to another. The contacts are held firmly together,'but nevertheless the switch can be easily operated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let- Patent is 1. In a rotary oil switch, an oil tank, a horizontal disk or slab of insulating material supported therein, contact-rods extending downwardly into said tank and passing through and supported by said disk or slab of insulating material, a contact finger carried by each of said contact-rods, a second horizontal disk or slab of insulating material at the lower part of the tank, said disk or slab spacing apart and holding the contact rods in relatively fixed position, a rotatable rod or drum in said tank, and a contact carried by said drum and adapted to engage the said contact fingers.

In a rotary oil switch, an oil tank, a cover therefor, vertical contact rods passing through the cover into the tank, a contact member carried by each rod the several contact members being arranged in different planes, a disk or slab of insulating material at the ends of said rods for holding the same in relatively fixed position, a rotatable member sup orted in said tank on the lower lIlSU- lating isk or slab, and contact arms carried by said member in different horizontal planes in position to engage the contact members on the respective rods.

3. In combination, a su porting bracket, an oil tank carried there y, an insulating slab supported within said tank on the lower side of said bracket, a plurality of vertical contact rods entering said tank, passing through and being supported by said insulating slab, said rods being arranged in a circle pairs of contact fingers supported on said rods, the fingers of each pair being on diametrically o posite rods and the pairs being mounted in ifferent planes, a drum mounted to rotate within said tank, and contact arms carried by said drum in different planes for engaging said contact fingers.

4. In a rotary'oil switch, an oil tank, a horizontal slab of insulating material supported within said tank and near the upper end thereof, a plurality of contact-rods entering said tank and being su ported at regular intervals in a circle in sai slab, means near the lower end of said tank for holding .the arms in fixed relative osition, a rotatable drum assing through t e center of the first named slab and carrying contact arms which engage contacts on said contact rods, and means for rotatin said drum.

5. In a rotary Oll switch, an oil tank, a slab I of insulating material supported in and nea'r the top of the tank, vertical contact-rods in said tank and su ported in a circleby said slab and about t e center thereof, contact fingers carried by said rods and arran ed in pairs, the pairs being arranged in di erent iorizontal planes, a second insulating slab near the bottom of said tank supported by and holding in fixed relative position the contact-rods, a vertical drum journaled on said last named slab and arranged centrally of said contact rods, contact arms on said drum arranged indifferent horizontal planes in position to engage said contact fingers, and means for operating said drum.

. 6. In a rotary oil switch, an oil tank, a plurality of rods having contact fingers, and a rotatable switch member having a contact cross-arm adapted to engage the contact fingers, the contact faces of the arm being so inclined that when the parts are in firm con tact the separating force is almost balanced by the force of friction.

7. In a rotary switch, a tionary contact members an a rotary bridging contact member, the faces of the contact members when in engagement being at such plurality of sta- .an angle that the separating force between the contacts will always be slightly greater than the retaining force of friction.

8. In a rotary switch, a lurality of stationary, adjustably mounte contact fingers, and-a rotary bridging contact member, the contactin parts 0 the bridging member being so inc ined to the contacting faces of the stationary members that the force tending to separate the contacts will be always slightly greater than the frictional retaining force.

' 9. In a rotary oil switch, a plurality of 'contact rods arranged in a circle, contact fingers arranged in pairs on said rods, the pairs being In different planes and relatively staggere a rotatable member rovided with bridging cross-arms arrange in different planes and sta gered with respect to each other, and insu ating barriers separating the contacts of the several planes, each barrier being slotted the width of the cross-arm and having the slots staggered by the same angle as said cross-arms.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

HERMON L. VAN VALKENBURG. 

